Ziva jolted awake all at once, attempting to leap to her feet but collapsing as the pain hit her. She obviously had sprained at least one of her ankles and the burns on the soles of her feet were killing her.
"Woah there!" said a voice from behind her "calm down, you're at NCIS, you're safe." She rolled over, none to gracefully, to see an amused Tony hovering over her offering her a hand. She glanced around, taking stock of where she was.
"Directors office," he supplied as he pulled her up. "the directors really got a soft spot for you, she let's you sleep on a couch she won't even let me look at.". He joked, tying not to wince as he took in the bruised and stitches that were visible. Ziva noticed though, and was relieved he didn't know about he rest.
"She outa, I saved her life more than once when we worked together in Cairo." Tony looked like he wanted to ask more, but Ziva was already headed for the door. "How many men were apprehended at the cell?" she asked, walking very gingerly down the stairs keeping a death grip on the railing.
"13. Its a good thing the director made us take backup." he reluctantly noted. Ziva wasn't listening, she had a look of disappointment mixed with resignation on her face.
"There were 15 men in the cell. They were not all there at the same time, mostly. But I was hoping... Bring me to Gibbs, and the Director, they must be informed." With that said, Ziva struggled to turn around and steeled herself to walking back up the stairs.
"Hold up a sec, are you abseloutly sure?"
"Tony, it is my job to be sure." she graced him with a frosty glare.
"Yeah, but it wasn't your job to get captured and get the shit beat outa you
No one is that crazy...you didn't!"
"Get the shit beat out of me? Metaphorically I guess so."
"You know what I meant! Get captured on purpose! That was your mission?" he looked at her accusingly. "You could've died!"
"But I didn't. It is my job Tony, it's what I do. Now take me to Gibbs.". This whole time they had been standing at the foot of the stairs.Ziva didn't know if she could make it up them, her feet were burning and her shoulder was sending jolts of pain through her chest when she moved it. Tony wanted to make her walk up the stairs, just to prove her mission was crazy, but his better side won out.
"We can wait for Gibbs and the Director here, they're talking to metro PD right now about a different case." He pretended he didn't see the slight flash of relief in Ziva's eyes when she realized she wouldn't have to trek up the stairs. He put his hand on the small of her back, to guide her to Kate's old desk, and he felt her wince ever so slightly. The slight bulges informed him that there were many bandages and strips of gauze underneath her shirt, holding her together. As they walked he slapped himself for letting her walk down the stairs. He should've realized that they would do more than just beat her, he'd seen the knives! He was surprised she was walking! As soon as she found the seat, she collapsed.
Tony tried to hide his concerned stare as he watched Ziva sit, deathly still, in the chair. The only sign that she was alive, was her eyes, roving around the room and missing nothing. Her body was tense and ready to run, or attack. He was kinda afraid, not for her, but of her. She had a dangerous, haunted look in her eyes. He hoped Gibbs would be back soon.
